Unlike other parts of the world, sightings are pretty standard – though there aren’t many attacks. Of the world’s 400 shark species, 124 -almost a third – live in Japanese waters. The country is home to primarily coastal sharks of the temperate zone but oceanic and deep sea sharks as well.
Places where you can see sharks include Chubu, Kanto, and Okinawa, where schools of up to 100 scalloped hammerhead sharks swim about. Thresher sharks live around the Nanpo Islands or the Mugi area.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Japan
| Species | Maximum
Size |
Aggressiveness |
| Banded Houndshark | 3.2-4.9 feet | Not aggressive |
Basking Shark |
23-30 feet | Not aggressive |
Bigeye Thresher Shark |
11-16 feet | Not aggressive |
Blacktip Reef Shark |
3-4 feet | Moderately aggressive (if provoked) |
| Blacktip Shark | 5-8 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Blue Shark |
6-11 feet | Not aggressive |
| Clouded Angelshark | 5-5.3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Common Thresher Shark | 12-18 feet | Not aggressive |
Dusky Shark |
9 -12 feet | Not aggressive (until provoked) |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | 15-20 feet | Highly aggressive |
Great White Shark |
11-16 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Gulper Shark | 2.5-3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Japanese Angel Shark | 4.9 to 8.2 feet | Not aggressive |
Japanese Bullhead Shark |
3.8-4 feet | Not aggressive |
Japanese Wobbegong |
3-3.3 feet | Not aggressive |
Longfin Mako Shark |
12-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Nilson’s Deepsea Dogfish | 5-5.2 feet | Not aggressive |
| Oceanic Whitetip Shark | 10-13 feet | Highly aggressive |
Pelagic Thresher Shark |
13-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Sand Tiger Shark | 7-10 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small mouths) |
Sandbar Shark |
5.5-8.5 feet | Not aggressive |
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark |
9-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Shortfin Mako Shark |
6.5-9.5 feet | Highly aggressive |
Smalltooth Sand Tiger Shark |
12-14 feet | Not aggressive |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | 8-12 feet | Not aggressive (but are potentially dangerous) |
| Spiny Dogfish | 2.5-3.5 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small size) |
Tawny Nurse Shark |
9.6-10 feet | Not aggressive |
Thresher Shark |
10-18 feet | Not aggressive |
Tiger Shark |
10-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
Whale Shark |
18-32 feet | Not aggressive |
| White Spotted Bamboo Shark | 2-3 feet | Not aggressive |
Whitetip Reef Shark |
3-5.5 feet | Moderately aggressive (only when provoked) |
Zebra Shark |
8.2-11 feet | Not aggressive |
Recent Cases of Shark Attacks in Japan >>
FAQs
1. Have there been shark attacks in Japan?
There were only 27 recorded attacks between 1862 and 2016 in Japan. The most recent incident took place during a surfing incident at Irino Beach in Kochi Prefecture on 24th July 2016. The victim was a 29 year old male who suffered lacerations to his left leg.
2. Are the sharks in Japan endangered or going extinct?
Out of the 20 countries known for fishing for sharks, Japan ranks 9th. Almost 25,000 tonnes of sharks are fished up annually. Naturally, several species are at risk of going extinct.
3. Can you go swimming with sharks in Japan?
Yes, there are several places where you can do so. One of the most popular experiences around Okinawa involves diving and interacting with whale sharks.
4. Are there great white sharks around Japan?
Yes, great white sharks have been seen in Japanese waters.
